Comet, Geminid meteor shower this week make for bright, festive skies

By Theresa Braine

New York Daily News|

Dec 10, 2018 | 7:00 PM

This incredible picture shows a huge meteor hurtling to earth during the annual Geminid meteor shower. Taken from the Mojave Desert area near Victorville under a very dark and mostly clear sky, Wally Pacholka captured this amazing picture during the annual cosmic fireworks show. (Wally Pacholka/Barcroft Media/Getty Images)

The night skies this week will blaze with the celestial version of holiday lights, from the brightest comet to one of the most notable meteor showers this year.

Comet 46P/Wirtanen will swoop past Earth on Dec. 16, just a few days after its closest pass by the sun. This means it will be at its brightest when it flies by.

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The comet is brightening each evening as it approaches, according to EarthSky.org. It will be at its brightest when it passes within 7.4 million miles of Earth on Dec. 16.

“Comet 46P/Wirtanen is 2018’s brightest comet, but that doesn’t mean it’s bright,” EarthSky.org notes. “Although theoretically visible to the eye now, the comet is large and diffuse … not easy to see.”

Comet Wirtanen was discovered in 1948, according to Sky & Telescope, by a 37-year-old assistant named Carl Alvar Wirtanen at California’s Lick Observatory. Normally the comet rushes past Earth every 6.7 years, but when it sideswipes Jupiter’s orbit, that time is shortened to 5.5 years. It also pushes the comet closer to the sun, Sky & Telescope said, which will make it brighter than usual.

Also this week, the annual Geminid meteor shower will brighten up the sky, and that might produce fireballs!

“The second week of December heralds the beginning of the strongest meteor shower of the year – the Geminids,” said NASA in a statement. “It’s a good time to bundle up, go outside and watch one of Mother Nature’s best sky shows!”

According to NASA, there might be as many as 100 meteors per minute at the peak, which will be around 2 a.m. on Dec. 13 and 14. The meteors appear to emanate from the constellation Gemini, which will be overhead at that time, according to Space.com. With the moon setting at around 10:30 p.m., moonlight will not wash out the meteors for those intrepid viewers who are willing to brave the cold and stay up late.

The more light pollution though, the fewer the number of shooting stars you’ll see.

“Folks in suburbs will see fewer, 30 to 40 per hour depending on the lighting conditions,” noted NASA. “And those downtown in major cities will see practically nothing – even though the Geminids are rich in beautiful green fireballs, the lights of New York, San Francisco, or Atlanta will blot even them out. Dark clear skies are the most important ingredient in observing meteor showers.”